Tom Hardy has revealed he had no idea of the lines for his new film Locke - and simply read them from cue cards on set.

The Bafta-winning star plays the part of Ivan Locke, a successful construction manager, who takes a phone call on his journey home from work which sets in motion a series of destructive events.

He told Total Film magazine: "It was quite experimental for me, in a way. I knew the rhythm, don't get me wrong. I could tell you what the story was about. I could explain to you who's on the phone and each arc. But I didn't know the words."

The new drama, from Hummingbird director Steven Knight, is set entirely in a car and tracks the course of his character's journey where one decision leads to his life unravelling.

The director of the low budget film wanted to build tension on set by isolating the leading man from the rest of the cast and making his reaction more spontaneous by surprising him with the script.

"The versatility of being able to adapt to whatever Steve is going to give me is what I needed to work with. And that was very exciting," said Tom in the magazine which is on sale now.

"It took the fear and the stigma out of having to look at the autocue. And remember, you've got these brilliant actors at the end of the phone feeding me emotional content, constantly."

He went on: "You're not watching one man in a car, you're watching somebody's thoughts, and how they're listening, reacting and responding to the articulated word, which is being spoken to them. It's like disarming a bomb - psychologically. He's a shock-absorber."

Tom will also take the title role in Mad Max: Fury Road - the part created by Mel Gibson in the 1970s - when it is released early next year.

:: Locke is out in UK cinemas on April 18.

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